Cleaning apparatus



Patented Mar. 7, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

This invention relates to novel apparatus for cleaning furnitureupholstery, carpets, rugs, and the like, and for similar cleaningoperations.

The invention has for an object to provide a novel cleaning apparatusfor carrying on cleaning operations by either a shampooing method or adry vacuum method or both; the apparatus being so constructed as to bereadil and quickly selectively conditioned for operation by either saidmethod.

The invention has for another object to provide a compact, simple andeasily operated mobile cleaning apparatus for the above stated purposeswhich can be economically produced, and which, to these ends, includes amain container, a second container, adapted to hold a detergentsolution, mounted within said main container, an electrically operatedblower fan mounted on the main container with its intake or suction sidein communication with the interior of said main container, means beingprovided for disconnectibly coupling the discharge of said blower fan incommunication with the bottom interior of said second container, wherebyto pass forced air through said second container and its containedliquid detergent for suds producing effect and for delivery of theproduced suds from said second container to a manipulatable sudsapplying means; and said main container having an inlet means to which amanipulatable suction means may be coupled.

The invention has for a further object to provide a novel form anddisposition of air deflector means within the second container foreiiiciently directing admitted air for substantially uniformlydistributed suds forming flow through the detergent solution containedin said second container.

Other objects of the invention, not at this time more particularlyenumerated, will be understood from the following detailed descriptionof the same.

An illustrative embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

Fig. l is a central vertical cross sectional view through the cleaningapparatus made according to the invention; Fig. 2 is a top plan view ofsaid cleaning apparatus; Fig. 3 is a fragmentary vertical crosssectional view, similar to that of Fig. l, but showing the means fordelivering forced air to the second container disconnected from thedischarge of the blower fan, and showing a dust collecting bag connectedwith the latter; and Fig. 4 is another fragmentary vertical crosssectional view showing a suction means operatively coupled to the inletmeans of the main container.

Similar characters of reference are employed in the above describedviews, to indicate corresponding parts.

Referring to the drawings, the reference character l0 indicates thecomplete cleaning apparatus embodying the principles of this invention,the same comprising a main container H having a bottom wall I 2 which issupported by and suitably afiixed to a carriage member Hi. The carriagemember I3 is equipped with casters l4, so that the cleaning apparatus asa whole is rendered mobile, and thus subject to be conveniently movedabout from place to place. The open top end of the main container II isnormally closed by a cover member [5 which is removably afliXed to themain container by fastening bolt and nut means l6, or by any othersuitable form of fastening means. Although said main container Il may bemade of any suitable shape, it is preferably of the cylindrical shapeshown. The bottom wall 42 of the main container H is provided with aclean-out opening I! which is normally closed by a removable closureplug I3.

Supported within the interior of the main container ll, intermediate thetop and bottom of the latter, is a second container I9 which is closedtop and bottom by a top wall 20 and a bottom wall 2|. Said secondcontainer I9 is of smaller diameter than that of the main container II,and is mounted within the latter, so as to be preferably disposed inconcentric relation thereto. The second container it may be supportedwithin the main container by any suitable means, such e. g. as by theradial brackets 22 which extend from the side walls of said maincontainer II. The second container I9 is provided in connection with itstop wall 20 with a filling neck 23, the outer open end of which isnormally closed by a removable closure plug 24.

Suitably mounted on and affixed to the cover member l5 of the maincontainer H is a blower fan 25 and its actuating electric motor 26. Thecasing or housing 21 of the blower fan is provided with an axial airintake 28 which communicates with the interior of the main container I!through an opening 29 in said cover member US with which it is aligned.The blower fan casing or housing 2'! is further provided with an outletor discharge member 30 which extends outwardly therefrom.

The main container ii is provided, preferably in a suitable location forexterior projection from a side thereof, with an air inlet nozzle orspout 3|.

Connected with the bottom wall 2| of the second or interior container|9, so as to discharge into the bottom interior of the latter, is thedischarge end portion 32 of an air delivery conduit 33. Said airdelivery conduit 33 extends to and through the side wall of said maincontainer H, and terminates in an external upstanding intake portion 34.The inlet end 35 of said intak portion 34 is disposed in a plane abovethe level of a liquid detergent solution 36 with which the second orinterior container I9 is supplied when the cleaning apparatus is in use.To said inlet end 35 of the air delivery conduit is connected,preferably by a swiveling connection 31 of suitable design, a flexibleair hose 38. The free end of said flexible air hose 38 is provided witha suitable coupler member 39 adapted for detachable engagement with theoutlet or discharge member 30 of the blower fan casing or housing 21,whereby, when required, to connect the air delivery conduit with theblower fan so as to deliver the air output of the latter through the airdelivery conduit to and through the second or interior container H) forpurposes hereinafter more particularly set forth.

Leading outwardly from the top of said second or interior container i9is a discharge conduit G0, which extends to and through the side wall ofthe main container I I, and which terminates in a discharge nozzle orspout 4| which projects exteriorly from said main container Suspendedwithin the second or interior container 59, by suitable supporting meanssuch e. g. as the hanger 42, and so as to overhang the discharge end 32of the air delivery conduit 33, in suitably spaced relation to and abovethe latter, is an air deflector or spreader bafile 43. Preferably, theform of said air deflector or spreader bafiie is that of a hollow cone,the open bottom of which opposes the discharge end 32 of the airdelivery conduit 33.

Prior to putting the cleaning apparatus in use, a liquid detergentsolution 36 is supplied to the second or interior container IS inquantity suflicient to submerge the air deflector or spreader baflie 43,and yet to but partially fill said container, so as to leave open spacewithin the interior of the latter above the level of the suppliedsolution.

In the useof the cleaning apparatus, when it is desired to operate thesame to carry on a cleaning operation by a shampooing method, theflexible air hose 38 is connected to the discharge member 30 of theblower fan, whereupon electric current is supplied to motor 26 so as tooperate said blower fan. The air inlet nozzle or spout 3| being open tothe atmosphere, the operating blower fan sucks air from the atmosphereinto the main container II and thence through the opening 29 and blowerfan intake 28. The thus operating blower fan discharges air from itsdischarge member 3!} through the air hose 38 and air delivery conduit 33for discharge into and through the liquid detergent solution within thesecond or interior container IS. The stream of air thus entering thecontainer i9 will be deflected by the air deflector or spreader baiiie43 so as to be directed outwardly from the rim of the latter to passinto the solution in such manner as to be substantially uniformlydistributed laterally in all directions, and thereupon so as to bubbleupwardly therethrough. The ebullition of air through the solution soagitates and aerates portions of the same as to produce lather, foam orsuds which is accumulated within the upper interior of the container |9above the level of the solution therein. The continued flow of forcedair thus discharged by the blower fan through the container |9 willdischarge the produced lather, foam or suds through the dischargeconduit 40 and discharge nozzle or spout 4|. Thence the lather, foam orsuds may be delivered to the furniture upholstery, rug, carpet or othermaterial, desired to be cleaned by a shampoo treatment, by attaching tothe discharge nozzle or spout 4| a flexible hose 44 which terminates ina suitable applicator member 45, through which the lather, foam or sudsmay be discharged for application to the material to be cleaned.

After application of the lather, foam or suds to the material to becleaned has been satisfactorily accomplished, the applied lather, foamor suds, together with the dirt taken up thereby, can be removed fromthe material under treatment by adjusted operation of the cleaningapparatus. To condition the apparatus for lather, foam or suds removal,the hose 44 and its applicator member 45 is detached from the dischargenozzle or spout 4|, and attached to the inlet nozzle or spout 3|, or asimilar hose having a suitable suction head is attached to said inletnozzle or spout 3| (see Fig. 4). The flexible air hose 38 is thereupondisconnected from the discharge member 30 of the blower fan (see Fig.3), thus preventing delivery of air from the blower fan through thesecond or interior container I9 and its detergent solution content. Whenthe apparatus is thus conditioned, and the blower fan again put inoperation, air will be sucked through the applied hose and its suctionhead into the interior of the main container The air suction thusinduced will take up the soiled lather, foam or suds from the materialbeing cleaned, and will carry the same into the interior of the maincontainer where it will fall out of the air stream so as to accumulatein the bottom of said container I. The main container may be emptied ofaccumulated soiled lather, foam or suds through the bottom opening ll ofthe main container II when the closure plug I8 is removed. The interiorof the main container may be thoroughly cleansed by removing the covermember l5 for access thereto. The supply of detergent solution in thesecond or interior container [9 may be renewed while the cover member I5is removed so as to give access to the filling neck 23.

When it is desired to operate the cleaning apparatus by a dry vacuummethod, the apparatus is conditioned in the same manner as abovedescribed for soiled lather, foam or suds collection, except that a dustcollection bag 46 (see Fig. 3) is coupled to the discharge member 30 ofthe blower fan.

From the above, it will be apparent that the instant invention providesa very simple, compact and light weight cleaning apparatus adapted to beoptionally conditioned for either shampoo cleaning effect or for dryvacuum cleaning efiect. The apparatus is further simplified in that buta single blower fan is required, the air circulation which is inducedthereby being quickly and easily conditioned and controlled by the merecoupling and uncoupling of the flexible air hose 38 relative to thedischarge member 38 of the blower fan.

It will be obvious that various changes could be made in theconstructions and arrangements of the above described cleaning apparatusand its parts without departing from the scope of this invention asdefined by the here-following claims.

aeeaeve 5 a It is therefore intended that all matter contained in theabove description or shown in the aceompanying drawings shall beinterpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. A cleaning apparatus for the purposes described comprising a maincontainer for soiled suds and dirt having an air intake means normallydirectly open to the atmosphere and adapted for occasional connection toa suction head for soiled suds and dirt collection, a second containerof reduced dimensions supported within the interior of said maincontainer, said second container being adapted to be supplied with aliquid detergent solution to partially fill the same, a dual purposeblower fan mounted on said main con tainer with its intake incommunication with the interior thereof and with its discharge meansexteriorly directed, means to deliver blower fan forced air to thesecond container for passage through its contained detergent solutionwith suds forming efiect, means to detachably couple said delivery meanswith the air discharge of said blower fan, and suds discharge meansleading from said second container to extend through and exteriorly fromsaid main container.

2. A cleaning apparatus for the purposes described comprising outer andinner closed containers disposed in concentric spaced relation, a poweractuated dual purpose blower fan mounted on the top of the outercontainer having its intake in communication with the interior of saidcontainer and having an exteriorly projecting discharge member, saidouter containerhaving an exteriorly projecting air inlet nozzle normallyopen to the atmosphere and subject to occasional connection to a suctionhead for soiled suds and dirt collection, the second container beingadapted to be supplied with a liquid detergent solution to partiallyfill the same, means to deliver blower fan forced air into the bottom ofsaid inner container for passage through its contained detergentsolution with suds forming effect, means to detachably couple saidlatter means with the air discharge member of said blower fan, and sudsdischarge means leading outwardly from the top of the inner container,said suds discharge means terminating in a discharge nozzle whichprojects exteriorly from said outer container and is adapted forconnection to a suds applicator.

3. A cleaning apparatus for the purposes described comprising a maincontainer for soiled suds and dirt having an air intake means nor mallydirectly open to the atmospher and adapted for occasional connection toa suction head for soiled suds and dirt collection, a second con" tainerassociated with said main container and adapted to be supplied with aliquid detergent solution to partially fill the same, a dual-purposeblower fan having its intake in communication with the interior of saidmain container and its discharge means exteriorly directed, means todeliver blower fan forced air to said second container for passagethrough its contained detergent solution with suds forming efiect, meansto detachably couple said delivery means with the air discharge means ofsaid blower fan, and suds discharge means leading exteriorly from saidsecond container.

STANLEY F. PLATEK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

' UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,141,243 Foster June 1, 19151,407,258 Connors Feb. 21, 1922 2,198,322 Von Schrader Apr. 23, 19402,255,722 Palmer 1 Sept. 9, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date490,746 Great Britain Aug. 16, 1938

